| Abstract |
This policy brief challenges the rationale behind the political initiatives against trophy hunting in southern Africa
recently proposed by European governments. First, it questions the assumption that elephants are generally
endangered. We note that large faunas are widely perceived as a threat to people and their livelihoods in Botswana,
Namibia, South Africa, and Zimbabwe. Second, it argues that trophy hunting provides significant income for rural
communities, aiding local conservation and preventing poaching. Third, it examines the ethical aspects of current
trophy hunting rights, highlighting the difficulty in justifying that these rights should be held by former colonising
nations. Instead, it suggests hunting arrangements that benefit local communities without perpetuating neo-colonial
dependencies, such as targeting regional customers and redefining the role of tourists and tourism. |
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